Beverage beans and methods for their manufacture and use

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a way for people to enjoy the ritual of selecting beans and grinding the beans to make them available for brewing. In one exemplary embodiment, a pelletized food product is provided which comprises a beverage base which includes individual pieces of edible plant materials which, when steeped or brewed, form a beverage. A binding material is provided which binds the beverage base into a pelletized body until subjected to a grinding process. Further, the pelletized body has a size and a range from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/080,560, filed May 18,1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,431.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of beverages, and moreparticularly to the preparation of beverages as well as to themanufacture of the ingredients of such beverages. In a particularaspect, the invention provides a way for individuals to be able to enjoythe ritual of grinding “beans” for cold or hot brewing of beveragesother than coffee.

Coffee is a beverage that is enjoyed throughout the world. Forconvenience, many coffee manufacturers sell their coffee in a groundstate. In this way, coffee may be conveniently brewed by simplymeasuring out an appropriate amount of the ground coffee and placing itinto a coffee maker.

Another popular way to market coffee is to sell whole coffee beans andallow the end user to grind the beans before brewing. Indeed, for manyyears, people have enjoyed the ritual of selecting coffee beans fromwholesale or retail outlets based upon the taste characteristics andother known properties, e.g., decaffeination, and thereafter grindingthe beans prior to brewing. Most recently, the popularity offresh-brewed coffee in a variety of flavors and forms has reached a highdegree as evidenced by the widespread popularity of coffee houses andthe like.

Similarly, the same period has seen a wide increase in the popularity ofa variety of health food drinks and of the consumption of dietarysupplements in all forms. For example, herbal teas are increasing inpopularity. Typically, herbal teas are packaged in a tea bag which issteeped in a hot or cold liquid to produce the beverage. As such, therituals enjoyed by those drinking beverages other than coffee have beenunable to enjoy the rituals of selecting beans, grinding the selectedbeans, and thereafter brewing.

Hence, it would be desirable to provide a way to allow individuals toenjoy the ritual of grinding “beans” for hot or cold brewing ofbeverages other than coffee. For example, it would be desirable toprovide ingredients for producing a beverage other than coffee which isin the form of a “bean”, with the “bean” being in a form that issuitable for grinding in traditional coffee grinders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a variety of food products as well as methods fortheir manufacture and their use in creating various beverages. In apreferable aspect, the food products of the invention comprise variousingredients that are manufactured into discrete bean-shaped pelletshaving a physical structure, e.g., hardness and friability, which issimilar to that of coffee beans so that they may be ground intraditional coffee grinders. Thereafter, the ground beans may becold-brewed or hot-brewed according to any of the methods known formaking coffee or teas. In this way, individuals are able to enjoy theritual of grinding “beans” for cold or hot brewing beverages other thancoffee.

In one exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a pelletized foodproduct which comprises a beverage base which includes. individualpieces of edible plant materials which, once steeped or brewed, form abeverage. A binding material binds the beverage base into a pelletizedbody until subjected to a grinding process. Further, the pelletized bodyhas a size in the range from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm. In this manner,pelletized bodies are provided which in essence may be ground similar tocoffee beans prior to forming a beverage.

Preferably, early pelletized body has a hardness in the range from about0.1 kP to about 50 kP, and more preferably from about 0.5 kP to about 34kP as measured on a Vankel VK200 Hardness Tester. In this way, eachpelletized body has a hardness that is similar to the hardness of acoffee bean to allow for grinding. Preferably, the pelletized body isformed so that it will become granularized when ground in a grinder.

A variety of edible plant materials may be used to construct thepelletized body, including tea leaves, plant leaves, roots, flowers,hops, spices, and the like. Exemplary binding materials which may beused to bind the edible plant materials into a pelletized body includestarches, sugars, modified starches, maltodextrins, carrageenan, gums,cellulose, waxes, and the like.

Preferably, the pelletized body has a generally bean-like shape, such asin the shape of a coffee bean. Optionally, a supplement may be includedin the pelletized body. For example, exemplary supplements which may beemployed include dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, andherbal extracts, medicaments, and the like. In one alternative, a coreelement may be included in the pelletized body which releases at leastone ingredient when the pelletized body is ground into granules. Forexample, the ingredient may comprise a scented material which emits anaroma when the pelletized body is ground into granules. In anotherexample, the ingredient may comprise a flavored material. Otheringredients which may be included within the core include colors, andfunctional ingredients, such as standardized extracts, herbal extracts,other nutritional components, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids,and the like.

The invention further provides an exemplary method for making abeverage. According to the method, a plurality of pelletized bodies areprovided, with each body comprising a beverage base of edible plantmaterials that are bound together by a binding material. The pelletizedbodies are then placed into a package and marketed in packaged form.When ready for consumption, at least some of the pelletized bodies areremoved from the package and are ground into granules. The granules arethen steeped or brewed in a liquid to form a beverage. Conveniently, thepelletized bodies may be marketed in bulk form or in individualpackages. In some cases, the pelletized bodies may marketed in apre-ground state.

Preferably, the pelletized bodies have a generally bean-like shape andhave a hardness that is similar to a coffee bean so that the pelletizedbodies may be ground in conventional coffee grinders. For example, thepelletized bodies may have a hardness in the range from about 0.1 kP toabout 50 kP, and more preferably from about 0.5 kP to about 34 kP.

After grinding, the granules may be steeped or brewed in a hot or coldliquid to form the beverage. For example, the granules may be brewedthrough a conventional coffee making machine. Optionally, the pelletizedbody may include a supplement. In another alternative, an aroma may bereleased from the pelletized body during the grinding step. In a furtheroption, a flavored material or a color may be released from a coreelement disposed in the pelletized body during the grinding step.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for producing apelletized food product according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for preparing abeverage from the food product produced according to the method of FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides an exemplary food product that is constructedfrom edible plant materials and has qualities similar to coffee beans sothat the food product may be ground into granules in a manner similar tothat commonly employed when making coffee from coffee beans. The foodproduct is preferably manufactured in pelletized form and has thequalities of a coffee bean, e.g., similar size, shape and hardness. Inthis way, the food product may be marketed in a manner similar to coffeebeans, thereby allowing consumers to use the same rituals with otherfood products as is now currently employed when making coffee directlyfrom coffee beans. In some cases, the pellets may be marketed in apre-ground state.

An exemplary method for manufacturing such a food product is illustratedin FIG. 1. Initially, edible plant materials are provided from which abeverage base is to be produced. Exemplary edible plant materials whichmay be used include tea leaves, stems, plant leaves, roots, flowers,hops, grains, seeds, bark, oils, spices, and the like. To produce thebeverage base, the edible plant materials are processed into aparticlized form, a liquid form, a paste or various combinations ofeach. As one example, the edible plant materials may be ground intosmall individual particles or into a fine powder.

The edible plant materials are then combined with a binding materialwhich maintains the plant materials in pelletized form until subjectedto a grinding process. Exemplary binding materials that-may be employedto bind the edible plant materials together include starches, modifiedstarches, gelatin, sugars such as sucrose, glucose, dextrose, xylitol,mannitol, sorbitol, molasses and lactose, maltrodextrins, carrageenans,natural and synthetic gums, including acacia sodium alginate, extract ofIrish moss, panwar gum, ghatti gum, mucilage of isapol husks,carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, Veegum,larch arabogalactan, and the like. Other binding agents includecelluloses, waxes, polyethyleneglycol, ethylcellulose, water, alcohol,and the like.

Optionally, one of a variety of encapsulation processes may be employedduring the process to protect the ingredients from volatilization, thedegradation effects of oxygen and heat, moisture, internal and externalmolecular interactions, and the like. For example, the ingredients maybe combined with a matrix material, typically when the matrix materialis in a melted or liquid state. As such, the encapsulation process mayinvolve the use of various materials which act as binding agents.Exemplary encapsulation processes which may be utilized by the inventioninclude those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,601,865 and 5,603,971, thecomplete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.

When combined with the proper binding material, the beverage base isprocessed to produce pelletized bodies having the desired shape,hardness, friability and the like. A variety of processes may beemployed to produce the pelletized bodies including molding, extrusion,compression, pelletization, spray drying, and the like. Further, themethods for producing oral solid dosage forms as described inRemington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mac Publishing Company, 1990,Chapter 89, may be employed. The complete disclosure of this referenceis herein incorporated by reference.

One preferred way to produce pelletized bodies is by using an extrusionprocess. Exemplary extrusion processes are described in “Introductionand General Principles of Food Extrusion”, Dr. Waleed A. Yacu, ShortCourse—Food Extrusion Technology, The Center for ProfessionalAdvancement—East Brunswick, N.J., Section A—Pages 1-38, the completedisclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. Optionally, aspreviously described, the extrusion process may be combined with anencapsulation process as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,865,previously incorporated by reference.

Briefly, suitable extruders for producing pelletized bodies according tothe invention comprise single or twin screw extruders having mixingzones, homogenizing zones, melting zones, venting zones and the like asis known in the art. A specially shaped die is preferably employed toform the extrudate into the shape of a bean or other desired shape. Withsuch extruders, the edible plant materials are typically inserted intothe extruder and combined with the binding material to form a dough. Asthe screw rotates, the dough is moved through the extruder and throughthe die to form the bean. Various zones may be included within theextruder to cook, vent, add steam, and the like.

As another example, the pelletized bodies may be formulated in tabletform. One typical type of tablet form is a compression tablet. Whenproducing the pelletized body in tablet form, the tablet will typicallyinclude the edible plant materials and a binder which is in solutionform or in dry form. Optionally, lubricants may be employed to preventadhesion of the tablet material to the surface of the dies and punches,to reduce interparticle friction, to facilitate the ejection of thetablets from the die cavity and to improve the flow rate of the tabletgranulation. A glidant may also optionally be used to improve the flowcharacteristics of the powder mixture. Further, coloring agents may beadded to assist the manufacturer to control the product duringpreparation as well as to allow for identification of the type of beanby the user. Further, various flavoring agents may be added to enhancethe flavor of the beverage. Colors will typically be added to the tabletformulation by dissolving the dye into the binding solution prior to thegranulization process.

To prepare the pelletized body in tablet form, a variety of preparationmethods may be employed. One preparation is the wet-granulation method,which involves the steps of weighing, mixing, granulation, screening thedamp mass, drying, dry screening, lubrication, and compression. Usingthe wet granulation method, the edible plant materials are weighted andthen mixed together to form a homogeneous mixture. optionally, thepowder blend may be sifted through a screen of suitable fineness toremove or break up any lumps, as well as to assist in mixing.

Following mixing, the binding agent is added to the mixed powder,typically by stirring. Preferably, the powder mass is wetted with thebinding solution until the mass has a consistent dampness. The wetgranulation is then forced through a screen, such as a 6 or 8 meshscreen. In some cases, an extruder may be justified to extrude thewetted granulation through a perforated screen. Following straining, thegranulation is then placed into a dryer and the granulation is dried tothe desired moisture content.

Following drying, the granulation is reduced in particle size by passingit through a smaller mesh screen. As one example, tablets havingapproximately a {fraction (3/16)} inch diameter may employ the use of a20 mesh screen. If desired, a lubricant may then be added to the finepowder. The mixture is then ready to be compressed as described ingreater detail hereinafter.

If the ingredients are sensitive to moisture or are unable to withstandelevated temperatures during drying, a dry granulation method may beemployed. This method includes the steps of weighing, mixing, slugging,dry screening, lubrication and compression. Still other methods includespherenization, spray drying, and spray congealing. In spherenization,spherical particles are produced using a sphereonizer. The pellets maythen be dried using conventional methods, mixed with suitable lubricantsand compressed into tablets or used as a capsule-fill material. In spraydrying, a highly disbursed liquid and a sufficient volume of hot air arebrought together to produce evaporation and drying of liquid droplets.The spray dried powder particles are then collected and directlycompressed into tablet form. Encapsulation of the powder may also beemployed. In spray congealing, solids are melted and reduced to beads orpowder by spraying a molten bead into a stream of air or other gas.

To compress the powder into tablet form, a tablet machine is preferablyemployed. An exemplary tablet machine includes two steel punches withina steel die cavity. The tablet is then formed by the pressure exerted onthe granulation by the punches within the die cavity. The tablet assumesthe size and shape of the punches and the die used. The tablet ispreferably in the shape of a bean, although other shapes may beprovided, including oval, circular, capsule form, and the like.Typically, the pelletized body has a size in the range from about 0.2 cmto about 8 cm, and more preferably from about 0.5 cm to about 3 cm. Avariety of tablet machines may be employed to compress the granulation,including single punch machines, rotary tablet machines, high speedrotary tablet machines, and the like.

As previously described, another method for producing the pelletizedbodies is by using a molding process, also referred to as tablettriturates. Such molded tablets are formed by forcing a moistened blendof the edible plant material and diluent into a mold, extruding theformed mass, and drying the mass. The diluent may include lactose,mannitol, dextrose, any sugar or starch material, or other rapidlysoluble materials. The molds typically comprise two plates made of ahard material. One mold plate includes carefully polished perforationswhile the other plate is fitted with a corresponding number ofprojecting pegs or punches which fit the perforations in the mold plate.The mold plate is placed on a flat surface and the moistened mass isforced through the perforations and the excess is scraped from the topsurface. The mold plate is then placed over the plate with thecorresponding pegs and lowered. As the plates come together, the pegsforce the tablet triturates from molds.

As another alternative, the pelletized bodies are molded usingconfectioner or candy making processes. In such processes a sugar orsyrup solution is heated and then placed into a mold as is know in theart.

The resulting pelletized body preferably has a hardness similar to thatof a coffee bean. The hardness is a measure of the resistance of thepelletized body to chipping, abrasion or breakage under conditions ofstorage, transportation, and handling before usage. Preferably, thepelletized bodies have a hardness in the range from about 0.1 kilopounds (kP) to about 50 kP, and more preferably from about 0.5 kP toabout 34 kP as measured on a Vankel VK200 Hardness Tester. When testedon a Instron having a 3 mm probe which is moved at a compression rate of5 mm/min., the pelletized bodies preferably have a hardness in the rangefrom about 250 g/mm² to about 4000 mm².

The pelletized bodies preferably also have a friability that issufficient to allow the pelletized body to be appropriately ground withconventional coffee grinders. Friability is defined as the forcerequired to crush the pelletized body. The desired friability alsoallows the pelletized body to withstand abrasion when packaging,handling and shipping. Preferably the pelletized bodies have afriability which produce a loss of less than about 0.05%, and preferablyless than about 0.02% as measured on a Vankel Friabilatator.

The pelletized bodies of the invention may be provided with a variety ofoptional ingredients depending on the desired end product. For example,various colors, flavors, scents, supplements, functional ingredients,and the like may be added to the beverage base. As one example, acentral core may be provided in the pelletized body which includes aflavor or a scent which is released when the pelletized body is groundinto granules. Alternatively, the flavors or scents may be mixed withthe edible plant materials during the process of formulation aspreviously described. As another alternative, various flavors, scents,functional ingredients, colors, and the like may be coated on theoutside of the pelletized bodies, such as with a spraying or coatingprocess. Exemplary supplements that may be included in the pelletizedbody include dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, aminoacids, standardized or non-standardized herbal extracts, and herbalsupplements, medicaments, and the like. Further, the pelletized bodiesmay optionally include coatings as described above, layers ofingredients, and the like.

After producing the pelletized bodies, the bodies are packaged fordistribution as illustrated in FIG. 1. Preferably, the pelletized bodiesare packaged in a manner similar to that employed with commerciallyavailable coffee beans, although other packaging schemes may beemployed. In some cases, the pelletized bodies may be ground prior topackaging.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, when ready to produce a beverage from thepelletized bodies, a user selects the desired type of pelletized bodies,also referred to as “beans”. For example, if sold at a retail level, ashelf may include a number of bins with a variety of bean types, i.e. inbulk form. Alternatively, the beans made be sold in packages. Theconsumer may then select the type of bean, remove the beans from thebins, and purchase the beans. When ready to produce the beverage, thebeans are placed in a conventional coffee grinder (or similar grinder)and ground into granules in a manner similar to that performed whengrinding coffee beans. In some cases, the retailer may offer theconsumer the option of having the beans ground at the time of purchase.Following grinding, the granules may be steeped or brewed in either ahot or cold liquid to produce the desired beverage. For example, thegranules may be placed into traditional tea bags (or kept in loose form)and steeped. As another example, a French press process may be used.Preferably, the granules will be brewed in a coffee machine.

Hence, the invention provides a way for individuals to enjoy the ritualsassociated with marking coffee from beans while also producing anon-coffee beverage. In this way, consumers are not limited to the useof coffee beans to produce a desired beverage using techniquesassociated with coffee brewing.

The invention has now been described in detail for purposes of clarityand understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certain changesand modifications may be made. Therefore, the scope and content of thisinvention are not limited by the foregoing description. Rather, thescope and content are to be defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pelletized food product, comprising: a beveragebase comprising individual pieces of edible plant materials which whensteeped or brewed form a beverage; and a binding material which bindsthe beverage base into a pelletized body, wherein the binding materialmaintains the beverage base in a pelletized form until subjected to agrinding process, and wherein the pelletized body has a size in therange from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm.
 2. A product as in claim 1,wherein the pelletized body has a hardness in the range from about 0.1kP to about 50 kP.
 3. A product as in claim 1, further comprising asupplement or a functional ingredient included in the pelletized body.4. A product as in claim 3, wherein the supplement is selected from thegroup of supplements consisting of dietary supplements, vitamins,minerals, herbal supplements, and medicaments.
 5. A product as in claim1, further comprising a core element included in the pelletized body,wherein the core element includes at least one ingredient which isreleased when the pelletized body is ground into granules.
 6. A productas in claim 5, wherein the ingredient comprises a scented material whichemits an aroma when the pelletized body is ground into granules.
 7. Aproduct as in claim 5, wherein the ingredient comprises a flavoredmaterial.
 8. A product as in claim 1, wherein the beverage base issteepable or brewable when the pelletized body is ground into granules.9. A product as in claim 1, wherein the pelletized body has a bean-likeshape.
 10. A product as in claim 1, wherein the binding material isselected from the group of binding materials consisting of starches,sugars, modified starches, maltrodextrins, carrageenan, gums,celluloses, waxes, gelatin, sugars, including sucrose, glucose,dextrose, molasses and lactose, maltrodextrins, carrageenans, naturaland synthetic gums, including acacia sodium alginate, extract of Irishmoss, panwar gum, ghatti gum, mucilage of isapol husks,carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, Veegum,larch arabogalactan, polyethyleneglycol, ethylcellulose, water, andalcohol.
 11. A pelletized food product, comprising: a primary componentcomprising a beverage base; and a binding material which binds thebeverage base into a pelletized body, wherein the pelletized body has ahardness in the range from about 0.1 kP to about 50 kP.
 12. A product asin claim 11, wherein the beverage base comprises individual pieces ofedible plant materials which when steeped or brewed form a beverage, andwherein the individual pieces are bound together by the bindingmaterial.
 13. A product as in claim 11, further comprising asupplemental component included in the pelletized body.
 14. A product asin claim 13, wherein the supplemental component is selected from thegroup of supplements consisting of dietary supplements, herbal extracts,and medicaments.
 15. A product as in claim 11, further comprising a corecomponent included in the pelletized body, wherein the core componentincludes at least one ingredient which is released when the pelletizedbody is ground into granules.
 16. A product as in claim 15, wherein theingredient comprises a scented material which emits an aroma when thepelletized body is ground into granules.
 17. A product as in claim 15,wherein the ingredient comprises a flavored material or a coloredmaterial.
 18. A product as in claim 11, wherein the primary component issteepable or brewable when the pelletized body is ground into agranules.
 19. A product as in claim 11, wherein the pelletized body hasa bean-like shape.
 20. A product as in claim 11, wherein the bindingmaterial is selected from the group of binding materials consisting ofstarches, sugars, modified starches, maltrodextrins, carrageenan, gums,celluloses, waxes, gelatin, sugars, including sucrose, glucose,dextrose, molasses and lactose, maltrodextrins, carrageenans, naturaland synthetic gums, including acacia sodium alginate, extract of Irishmoss, panwar gum, ghatti gum, mucilage of isapol husks,carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, Veegum,larch arabogalactan, polyethyleneglycol, ethylcellulose, water, andalcohol.
 21. A pelletized food product, consisting essentially of: aprimary component comprising a beverage base of individual pieces ofedible plant materials which when steeped or brewed form a beverage; anda binding material which binds the beverage base into a pelletized body,wherein the binding material maintains the beverage base in a pelletizedform until subjected to a grinding process and wherein the pelletizedbody has a size in the range from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm.
 22. Amethod for making a beverage, the method comprising: providing aplurality of pelletized bodies, each body comprising a beverage base ofedible plant materials bound together by a binding material; placing thepelletized bodies into a package; removing at least some of thepelletized bodies from the package; grinding the removed pelletizedbodies into granules; and steeping or brewing the granules in a liquidto form a beverage.
 23. A method as in claim 22, further comprisingreleasing an aroma from the pelletized body during the grinding step.24. A method as in claim 22, further comprising releasing a flavoredmaterial, from a core element in the pelletized body during the grindingstep.
 25. A method as in claim 22, wherein the granules are steeped orbrewed in a cold or a hot liquid.
 26. A method as in claim 22, furthercomprising providing the pelletized body with a supplement selected fromthe group of supplements consisting of dietary supplements, herbalextracts, and medicaments.
 27. A method as in claim 22, wherein thepelletized body has a bean-like shape.
 28. A method as in claim 22,wherein the pelletized bodies have a hardness in the range from about0.1 kP to about 50 kP.
 29. A method for making a beverage product, themethod comprising: providing a beverage base of individual particles ofedible plant materials; and organizing the individual particles into apelletized body that is in the shape of a bean, wherein the pelletizedbody has a hardness sufficient to maintain the pelletized body generallyintact until subjected to a grinding process; and wherein the hardnessis in the range from about 0.1 kP to about 50 kP.
 30. A method as inclaim 29, wherein the individual particles are held together with abinding material.
 31. A method as in claim 29, wherein the bindingmaterial is selected from the group of binding materials consisting ofstarches, sugars, modified starches, maltrodextrins, carrageenan, gums,celluloses, waxes, gelatin, sugars, including sucrose, glucose,dextrose, molasses and lactose, maltrodextrins, carrageenans, naturaland synthetic gums, including acacia sodium alginate, extract of Irishmoss, panwar gum, ghatti gum, mucilage of isapol husks,carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, Veegum,larch arabogalactan, polyethyleneglycol, ethylcellulose, water, andalcohol.
 32. A method as in claim 29, further comprising including asupplement in the pelletized body.
 33. A method as in claim 29, whereinthe supplement is selected from the group of supplements consisting ofdietary supplements, herbal extracts, and medicaments.
 34. A method asin claim 29, further comprising including a core element in thepelletized body, wherein the core element includes at least oneingredient which is released when the pelletized body is ground intogranules.
 35. A method as in claim 34, wherein the ingredient comprisesa scented material which emits an aroma when the pelletized body isground into granules.
 36. A method as in claim 34, wherein theingredient comprises a flavored material.
 37. A method as in claim 29,wherein the beverage base is brewable when the pelletized body is groundinto granules.